Summer Fun

What's on your to-do list this summer?

The warmth of the sun, the sounds of the birds and the bees, and the smell of a cook-out nearby all spell summer.  

As we get ready to flip our calendars and head towards JULY, we think about all of the things we want to do during this special season.  Like many, we've been busy crossing things off our summer to-do list, but there is still more we want to squeeze in.

•  1. Ride a bike
•  2. Catch lightening bugs in a jar
•  3. Eat an ice-cream cone (or two or three)...  Yum!
•  4. Plant something with the kids...herbs, delicious smelling lavender ( to keep the bugs away), tomatoes (to top off our salads)
•  5. Pick strawberries
•  6. Pick blueberries
•  7. Go camping
•  8. Go for a walk in the rain
•  9. Catch a butterfly
• 10. Have a picnic 
• 11. Go fishing
• 12. Paint rocks
• 13. Go swimming
• 14. Watch the sun rise and set
• 15. Read a few good books
• 16. Draw
• 17. Keep a summer-fun journal or scrapbook of your family-fun adventures
• 18. Watch a baseball game
• 19. Dance outside in the grass
• 20. Start a seashell or rock collection
• 21.  Make lemonade
• 22.  Set up a lemonade stand

From building a bat house and catching butterflies, to heading to the beach and playing in the sand....There are so many fun Things to do this Summer!  (Click on the link to the left to see and down-load a free copy of our summer to-do list!  




















For more Summer Living ideas, check out Martha Stewart's site.  She has a variety of terrific summer-time craft ideas, photos and recipes (including many varieties of thirst quenching lemonade).
 

Martha Stewart's travel and activity ideas
 

    Colors of Spring 

       CD Promotion

 

Spring Inspires Imagination! 

 

Capture the colors and sounds of spring with this special offer... For every children's CD you order during the month of April, receive a box of scented markers FREE!  

To take advantage of this special offer.  Visit our shop online: www.toucheedi.com.

                                                      
Offer expires April 30, 2013.
 

Add Music to your Bat Unit

Brown Bat

Stir up some excitement by adding a bit of music to your bat lessons!

Below is the lyrics to our song, "The Little Brown Bat".  The song is a great way to kick-start a unit on the only nocturnal mammal, and it can also be used as a way for students to learn lots of interesting "batty facts"--like how important bats are to our environment!

To get started:

• Provide students with a graphic organizer or a blank piece of paper.  
• Have them write 3-5 facts they hear in the song... (such as: 1. Bats are the only flying mammal.  2. Bats are nocturnal.  3. Bats navigate with echolocation. 4.  The Little Brown Bat is one type of bat. 5. Bats are good for the environment.)  
• Have students include a drawing with their facts.
• Encourage students to label their bat drawings.  

Lyrics:

The Little Brown Bat:

Way back up in the woods

Where the sun never goes

Lives the only flying mammal that we all know

He sleeps all day

Leads a nocturnal life

And uses echolocation

Instead of his sight

Then he goes “eeeeeeeeeeee”

Another bug done gone

Chorus:

This little brown bat is one you’ve probably seen

Over a thousand different species from here to the Caribbean

They’re expert fliers

The acrobats of the sky

Their ecological efficiency is one you can’t deny

Now wait a minute children, there’s a reputation to correct

Bats aren’t mean and evil and they deserve a little respect

They eat the mosquitoes, the gnats and pesky flies

There’s much more to a bat than really meets the eye

Yeah, in their roosts

Is where they like to hang

It’s been the same old story since the bats began

Repeat Chorus and second verse

Be sure to check out our website: www.toucheedi.com for free Bat Printables and Activity Ideas.

There is a TREE

Children shouting "Boo" at the end of There is a Tree song.  The kids & their parents had a blast!

With fall just around the corner and a beautiful tree outside the window, we are thinking about one of our favorite movement songs for kids.  Click here to download a printable PDF. 


Song Activity Ideas for the CLASSROOM:  
Interactive Writing, Morning Movement Gross Motor Skill Development--Touche' Yoga, Reading, Literacy Center: Have students copy the song lyrics, illustrate & read aloud to a partner

 

There is a Tree 

Taken from Spiders, Bats, and Wolves...Oh my! 

(Children Standing)

There is a tree

At the bottom of my yard

It has big branches

That look like arms

(Children: Stretch out Arms)

(Children: Wiggle Stretched out Arms)

It has big bushy leaves,

(Children: bring arms up over your head and into a circle)

and stands real tall.

(Children: Stand on tip toes)

When it gets cold,

the leaves start to fall.

(Children: Flutter hands down—all the way to the floor)

Sing Softer

There is a squirrel

That lives in the tree

(Children: Put arms in an animal position and start to stand)

I always see him spying on me

(Children: Put hand above eye and look around)

So I fill my hand with a pile of food

(Children: Put hand out)

And when he gets close

(Whisper) I shout

(Yell) “BOO”

The Perfect Pumpkin Pie

Editorial Review:

 "Pumpkins, Pumpkins, Pumpkin Pie! I must have one before I die. It must be round and brown as toast, or I'll haunt this house a hungry ghost"... are the words i look forward to chanting each Halloween.  Who do I read this wonderfully spooky picture book to?  Everyone!   From mid-September to the end of October,  I could be caught carrying, "The Perfect Pumpkin Pie" with me just about anywhere.

Written and illustrated by Denys Cazet, The Perfect Pumpkin Pie" is the "perfect" Halloween read- aloud for children (and adults) of all ages.  With laugh-out-loud funny illustrations such as the one on the cover showing an extremely picky and ever so grouchy Mr.  Wilkerson, the words in the story have a contagious and irresistible way of flowing off the tongue.  Those that listen will have no choice but to chant along!     

A Pizza Party...Pirate Style

    Thus far, our blog posts seem to range from educational topics to family fun  as we find our way in the wonderful world of blogging.  This post is about throwing together a few ideas to create a memorable children's party.  I wasn't planning on blogging about it, but I thought it might serve as a bit of inspiration for busy parents.
    My son, Preston's third birthday was nearly two weeks away.  I hadn't planned a thing!  Was it too late?  During a quick shopping trip to Target, an adorable birthday party invitation caught my eye.  The cover showed an image of a pirate boy.  Hmm... I thought for a moment, and plopped a few packs into my cart.  Preston likes pirates.  Can I turn "PIRATES" into his theme?  What will we eat?  Where will it be?  All sorts of questions went through my mind, and then, the answers all came together to form a plan.

    I was able to rent a room at a local pizza shop.  They would provide the pizza.  All I needed were some decorations, drinks, cake and ice-cream.  I was almost there!  I began to think like a pirate--a "pizza-eating" pirate!
    First, the cake:  I took the invitation to a local bakery for inspiration and this is what they came up with:     

     

I thought it was cute...especially for being so last minute.  The drinks were easy: some bottled water and soda placed in an icy treasure chest for easy access.  The decorations...coins, beads (the loot and treasure), lots and lots of red and blue balloons, and some red, blue, and map covered table cloths.

    Then, the goody bags:  I wanted to use them as sort of a decoration, so I made the pirate boy from the invitation and stapled a friendly little face to each of the bags.  I also tied a balloon to each of the bags.  They turned out pretty cute!  You can see them in the background of the photo above.  Next, I had to come up with a hands-on activity for the kids and some giveaways (of course).  I decided to turn the kids into little pirates by giving them an eye patch and a bandana.  I also armed them with swords.  For the activity, I had the kids create their own thumbprint ocean designs.  All we needed was ink-pads, some markers and some tiny fingers.  Thumbprint octopuses....little orange fish...it's amazing what a kid will come up with!  They loved the activity, and it was a nice keepsake for the moms and dads.

That's Preston the Pizza Eating Pirate on the right!

 















    Since I sent out the invitations last minute, they served more as a reminder.  I made phone calls and used FaceBook to get the word out!  Everything turned out great...except, we were so busy visiting and making fingerprint pictures that we didn't have time to get any super good photos.
    The kids are still talking about the party and from what I hear, they're looking forward to the next one.  I better get planning!!  In the mean time, my little pirate is causing me to "Shiver Me Timbers" as I try to type this post.  I'm about to make him "Walk the Plank!"

I Survived...The Substitute

       What would your class do if they had Viola Swamp as their substitute teacher?  Would they follow all the rules?  Would you return to a class of total chaos?  In "Miss Nelson is Missing," her class learns a valuable lesson after experiencing a not-so-nice substitute teacher.

      Now, you too can help enforce classroom rules... even when you are away from the classroom.  Simply, use these "I Survived the Substitute Behavior Incentive Cards" available for download at Teachers Pay Teachers.
      
      These cards are a terrific way to reinforce good behavior; and substitutes will appreciate this one-of-a-kind classroom management tool designed especially for them.  Also, kids will get a kick out of the idea of surviving the substitute... 

Helpful Hints: 

•  Introduce the cards by reading a book such as Miss Nelson is Missing.           

• Print onto colorful card stock and cut!  Store them in an envelope with your substitute binder.

   

Picture Book Recommendation: Miss Nelson is Missing, Written by: Harry G. Allard Jr., Illustrated by: James Marshall 

Be sure to check out some of the other Miss Nelson is Missing Books:

 
 

Do you know of any other classroom activities that go with the Miss Nelson is Missing Books?  Share them with us!  We'd love to hear your ideas.

I Survived the Substitute Behavior Cards--a Touche' EDI completely original idea and teaching resource.